In 1976, Director Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon, Superman, The Goonies) brought to the screen a big-budget, complete with stellar cast, vision of the rise of the Antichrist in a chilling suspense tale reminiscent of Dario Argento’s canon. Based on Hal Lindsey’s 1970 novel, The Late, Great Planet Earth, screenwriter David Seltzer presents a taunt story which is masterfully given life via gothic atmosphere and dazzling special effects.
Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck, To Kill a Mockingbird), the United States Ambassador to Great Britain, concedes to an adoption–without his wife’s knowledge (Katherine played by Lee Remick)–after his child is stillborn at six in the morning on June 6 in Rome. Five years later, a series of mysterious deaths begin occurring around Thorns’ son, Damien (Harvey Stephens). Robert discovers that his adopted heir is the Antichrist incarnate and only he can stop the Devil’s impending reign on earth.
The Omen works on many levels. Unlike its successful theological predecessor, The Exorcist, Donner’s work relies heavily on actual scripture, citing specific passages from the Book of Revelation, thus giving the supernatural threat an air of authenticity. As with The Exorcist and many other horror films involving religion, Donner utilizes the Catholic image of the Old Testament’s Wrathful God (verses the Protestant’s Forgiving Lord in the New Testament) as a catalyst for fear.
The manner in which the deaths surrounding Damien are arresting in the way that an Argento murder is instantaneously disheartening. A pattern of who-will-be-the-next-to die? quickly becomes evident in the manner that the demises of various the characters in Final Destination are predictable, but Donner never allows this aspect of the script to become predominant. Instead, he insists that the atmosphere of impending doom reigns throughout. This feat is accomplished by the help of cinematographer Gilbert Taylor’s masterful use of setting in complimentary relation to each character. Also, Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning score is relentless in such an inconspicuous manner (with the exception of one sequence), that the viewer isn’t aware that the score is leaning one’s interpretation of each scene.
The Omen is known for its numerous death scenes, of which special effects artist John Richardson is to be applauded. The only singular aspect to the film which is arguably more memorable is the revelatory scene which takes place in a graveyard when Thorn and paparazzi photographer Keith Jennings (David Warner) discover the truth about Damien which, once again, is due to Donner’s directorial acumen.
Gregory Peck’s performance as Robert Thorn, a highly rational man who has survived and continues to climb the political ladder, aptly presents an individual who slowly consigns himself to the fact that his son is “of a jackal” as he and Jennings search out the ancestry of the adopted child. Yet, Beckettian actor Billie Whitelaw as Misses Baylock almost steals the show in her portrayal of Damien’s nanny who, in actuality, is Satan’s apostate sent to oversee the young antichrist.
Yet the film is not without its flaws.
We watch as the Thorns arrive at a church where Robert is scheduled to appear in a wedding. As the car in which they’re riding approaches sacred ground, Damien’s fear, however justifiable, comes across as unintentionally comical. It is as if Donner had performed an enema on poor Harvey Stephens moments before yelling “Action.” Also, even though the work is better classified as a suspense thriller than horror, the film is rather slow, perhaps relying too much on tension and atmosphere rather than plot development and action. Lastly, an archeologist-cum-theological sage named Carl (Leo McKern), whose surname is “Bugenhagen,” isn’t just phonetically distracting, but is repeated several times during the course of the film. Perhaps it was just me, after the first utterance of Carl’s last name, I became preoccupied with the possible spellings of such when I should have otherwise been giving heed to the screen.
Though I will admit that the following interpretations of the work issue the film aesthetic benefit of the doubt, it is fun to consider that, as cited in the picture, Satan will rise through politics (many of us have no problem with the likelihood of such as the avenue of choice for the Dark Prince). Also, the film can been seen as a critique of the upper-class family unit because a nanny raises Damien throughout his life but, more cuttingly, the child never approaches a church until the age of five (in lieu of the Thorn family being in the public eye at all times). Also, as the film opens, the plot quickly moves forward. As such, it is easy to overlook the motive behind Robert readily adopting a child without reservation. It could be argued he does so in order to pacify his wife’s maternal demands so that he may return to his rising career. Lastly, the work can be viewed as a condemnation against the Church in that it illegally adopts out a child against policy and that, unlike The Exorcist, a priest does not offer the key to humanity’s salvation, but rather redemption comes via an archeologist with a distracting last name.
Richard Donner, with his renowned cast, created what I consider an American version of an Argento film. Though not as taught as The Exocrist or Rosemary’s Baby, the film stands as a notable work worthy of its stature in the genre which should be viewed for its famed death sequences, its masterful use of cinematography and sound, as well as its intriguing plot.
Trivia tidbit: In the scene where Katherine knocks over a bowl full of goldfish, Richard Donner refused to kill the animals for the sake of the film. Instead, he had sardines painted orange for the sequence.
-Egregious Gurnow
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